Vanessa de Largie | Rendezview | The Daily Telegraph | Dec 14, 2016
Yes. Yes. YES. Oh, Lordy. Yesss!
Have you heard the news?
Priceline Pharmacy now sells a range of vibrators called Smile Makers which are being advertised as “personal massagers”. Finally, Australian women can purchase sex toys along with their toiletries without having to skulk through seedy adult shops.
Recent research into women’s attitudes towards sex highlighted that “many Australian women are yet to shake the embarrassment associated with sexual wellbeing products”. The study, commissioned by Smile Makers, found nearly a quarter of women feel uncomfortable in a sex shop — in person or online. But in direct contrast 96 per cent of respondents thought women owning sexual wellbeing products was a positive thing.
Sexologist and relationship expert Nikki Goldstein says it’s time for female pleasure products to be normalised and appear in mainstream stores.
“We are living in a time with increased sexual empowerment encouraging women especially to take control,” Goldstein says.
“Isn’t it now about time we gave women that control in how they can purchase their sexual wellbeing products?”
I couldn’t agree more. It is refreshing to see progressive stores like Priceline taking the lead on normalising female sexual pleasure. The pastel-coloured “massagers” that are being sold for $49.99, carry palatable, lust-worthy names like the Frenchman, the Tennis Coach and the Millionaire (among others).
But does this mean we’re becoming less prude about personal pleasure? That would be a yes and no.
In 2013 Woolworths was the first Australian supermarket chain to stock the “bullet clitoral stimulator” by Durex. But after a boycott by Christian groups across the country, Woolies did a backflip and removed the product from their shelves.
At the time, Terri Kelleher, a national spokeswoman from the Australian Family Association said that the sale of vibrators was “diabolically wrong”.
“Do we really need to be explaining to our children what a vibrator is while walking down a supermarket aisle?” she asked.
Um, yes we do.
Like nudity, sexual pleasure is a natural part of life. We are meant to evolve.
Once upon a time, the female orgasm was medically diagnosed as “hysteria” and it was only thrown out of the medical textbooks in the 1950s. Now we know the release of feel-good hormones like endorphins and oxytocin are essential for maintaining positive mental health and wellbeing.
Pleasure products will eventually become the new normal — no different to seeing tampons for sale.
And let’s be real. What do you say to your kids when they pass a packet of condoms or lubricant on the supermarket shelf?
But while three-quarters of Australian women feel sexual satisfaction is important to their overall wellbeing, four in 10 are not sexually satisfied, according to the Smile Makers study.
Ladies, it’s time to ditch the embarrassment and taboo from masturbation.
Slip a “massager” into your shopping basket, alongside the lipstick and self tan, and enjoy the good vibrations.